How long does it take to recover after giving birth?
A lot of women are curious about how long it takes to recover after giving birth. For some, the recovery process can go smoothly and new mothers can resume a modified exercise program within 6 weeks; for others, it may take months or even years. The length of time required to recover from childbirth largely depends on the severity of your delivery experience, your age at the time you delivered, and whether or not you had any complications during pregnancy.
No matter what type of delivery you had, there are steps that can help speed up your recovery process so that you feel like yourself again as soon as possible!
1. Take care of your body – eat well, sleep well, and gently exercise
Making sure your body has a chance to recover from your recent birth experience is of the utmost importance. Make sure you are caring for yourself while you are caring for your new baby. Make an effort to eat well, rest, and if your body allows it, gently ease back into your exercise routine.
2. Be patient with yourself – it takes time to heal after childbirth
It’s easy to expect a quick bounce back to the body you had before pregnancy, but give yourself some time to heal. After all, you just went through nine months of pregnancy before your delivery. Give your body lots of time to recover.
3. Let people help you out when they offer – don’t be afraid to ask for help
Allowing others to help you is important for your recovery. Reach out to family and friends so you can get some much-needed help around the house, with your older children, or with your new baby,
4. Spend some time alone with the baby every day so that you can focus on them without distractions
It’s also important to bond with your new baby. This will reinforce your need to get stronger for the new person in your care.
5. Get outside in the sunshine as much as possible- it’s good for both of you!
If weather permits, going for walks can be very helpful in your healing process. Pay attention to pain and never force yourself. But, if you can manage it, a walking routine is good for both you and your baby.
6. Do what makes you happy and fulfilled- this will give back to your relationship with your partner and family members, too!
Try to get back to things that give you joy. That might be work or a hobby. Keeping a piece of who you were before you became a mother is so important to your healing and happiness. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.
Sometimes pelvic floor changes can be difficult to recover from on your own. The area between your rectum and vagina, known as the perineum, often tears and stretches during birth. The pelvic floor muscles will be weakened temporarily after delivery. This can cause changes in bowel or bladder function or be painful. If you feel you need help in this area to recover after your delivery, please reach out to Julie for a pelvic floor assessment.
Julie Bottarini offers a variety of treatments for mothers before and after childbirth. Contact Julie today to learn more.
Resources – Postpartum period: three distinct but continuous phases